May 13, 2005
Library of Congress contacts: Anneliesa Clump Behrend aclump@loc.gov;
Helen Dalrymple hdal@loc.gov
SYMPOSIUM MARKING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END
OF WORLD WAR II TO BE HELD AT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ON MAY 26
Panelists to Give Eyewitness Accounts of Their
Experiences
“War’s End: Eyewitness to History,” a half-day
symposium cosponsored by the Veterans History Project of the
Library of Congress and the United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum, will take place from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May
26, in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building,
10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.
The event, which is free and open to the public, commemorates the 60th anniversary
of the end of World War II. Seating is limited, and reservations are required;
they may be made by calling (202) 707-6179. Reserved seats must be claimed at
least 10 minutes before the start of the program, after which standbys will be
admitted to unclaimed seats.
Benjamin Ferencz, an Army officer who served as prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials,
will deliver the keynote address for the symposium. A lawyer, author and lecturer,
Ferencz has spent his career advocating steps to replace “the rule of force
with the rule of law” and exploring the issues of international criminal
justice and world peace.
Tom Wiener, historian for the Veterans History Project and compiler of the recently
published book “Voices of War,” will moderate the first panel of
eyewitnesses to events at the end of the war. Panelists are Art Buchwald, nationally
syndicated columnist and a World War II Marine veteran; John Dolibois, the last
surviving American interrogator from the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials; Yeiichi “Kelly” Kuwayama,
a Japanese American who served in the U.S.
Army’s famed 442nd Division, the “Go for Broke” unit, which
received more decorations than any other for their valor in the war’s European
Theater; and John Glusman, author of “Conduct Under Fire,” a new
book about his father’s experiences as a prisoner of war of the Japanese.
Prosser
Gifford, director of Scholarly Programs at the Library of Congress, will moderate
the second panel, which focuses on a historical perspective of the events
surrounding the end of the war. Panelists include Klaus Larres, former Kissinger
Scholar
in the Library’s John W. Kluge Center and author of “Churchill’s
Cold War”; James Hershberg, professor of history at George Washington University;
Jon Meacham, managing editor of Newsweek and author of “Franklin and Winston:
An Intimate Portrait”; Elizabeth B. White, deputy director and chief
historian, Office of Special Investigations, Department of Justice; and Peter
Black, senior
historian at the Holocaust Museum.
Veterans from World War I through the current conflict, and the civilians who
supported them, are coming forward to record their personal stories and contribute
personal documents for the Veterans History Project, a growing archives at the
American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, which was mandated by Congress
in 2000. The goal is to collect, preserve and share with future generations the
stories of all American war veterans. To date, more than 33,000 individuals have
submitted stories to the collection.
Those interested in becoming involved in the Veterans History Project are
encouraged to send e-mail to vohp@loc.gov to request a project kit. The kit
is also available
on the Veterans History Project Web site at http://www.loc.gov/vets or call
the toll-free
message line at (888) 371-5848.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is the national institution for Holocaust
education and remembrance. A public-private partnership, the museum brings the
history and lessons of the Holocaust to Americans and other visitors through
educational outreach, teacher training, traveling exhibitions and scholarship.
Since its dedication in April 1993, the museum has welcomed almost 22 million
visitors, including more than 7 million children. For more information, visit
the museum’s Web site, http://www.ushmm.org.
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PR 05-109
05-13-05
ISSN 0731-3527
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